An aching Tony Parker was forced to the bench at halftime of the Game 6 win against the Thunder.

The San Antonio Spurs' All-Star point guard did not play in the second half or overtime of the Western Conference finals-clinching win over Oklahoma City on Saturday because of a sore left ankle. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich doesn't know what shape Parker will be in for Game 1 on Thursday in San Antonio.

"I have no idea," Popovich said Saturday night. "I don't know what the deal is."

Popovich said Parker sprained the ankle in Game 4 and aggravated it in Game 5. Popovich considered starting Manu Ginobili at point guard in Game 6 against the Thunder because Parker was having trouble during pregame. At halftime, Popovich made the decision to hold him out.

"He came to me about eight minutes on the clock [before the second half] and said he couldn't go," Popovich said. "He couldn't cut. He was limping on it. He couldn't cut sideways or forward really."

Popovich said he thought playing Parker in the second half would have hurt the team in the long term.

Parker has been plagued by injuries this year. He averaged 16.7 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 50 percent from the field during the regular season, but he missed 22 games. He strained his left hamstring in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals against Portland and did not return. The Spurs won that game easily to clinch the series.

FISHER, KNICKS IN LIMBO: Guard Derek Fisher, 39, the leading candidate to coach the Knicks, saw his season and perhaps NBA playing career come to an end with the Thunder's overtime loss to the Spurs.

Fisher is leaning toward retirement and told reporters after the game he would need a little time to regroup and decide what he wants to do.

Knicks boss Phil Jackson wants Fisher to coach the Knicks. Fisher also could be a candidate for the opening with his former team, the Lakers. He expects to speak to both teams.

"There'll be, I'm sure, conversations and talks at some point," Fisher said. "But this is still pretty raw and pretty fresh, what just happened.

"I don't think based on the emotions that I'm feeling right now that it's smart to start betting on what I will do next. I'm going to definitely take it seriously, and like I've always tried to do with everything in life, consider my options, consider what's best and then go from there.

"And I will try to do that as soon as possible so all parties involved can make the decisions that need to be made."